2023 Gasparilla Festivities: What You Should Know If You Go

TAMPA, FL — On Tuesday, a boisterous band of buccaneers barged into Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's office at Tampa City Hall to demand the key to the city. And following the mayor's defiant refusal to hand it over, the pirates are preparing to pillage and plunder Tampa in what's become the city's signature event, the Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest.

On Saturday, a flotilla of pirates and their krewes will sail into Hillsborough Bay as a prelude to the Gasparilla Pirate Parade, which Castor predicts will attract an estimated half-million spectators, making it one of the five largest parades in the nation.

The honor for the largest parade in the U.S. goes to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which attracts 3.5 million spectators, although former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio claimed the WorldPride March in New York City in 2019 surpassed the Macy's parade with five million onlookers.

The city of New Orleans brags that its Mardi Gras Parade, which takes place this year on Tuesday, Feb 21, draws around 1.4 million each year.

Chicago lays claim to the country's biggest St. Patrick's Day Parade with more than two million revelers.

And the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, California, boasts about 700,000 visitors.

What the Gasparilla Fest and Parade lack in numbers, it makes up for with the only parade that's kicked off by a flotilla of hundreds of decorated boats carrying pirate-garbed revelers and led by the world's only fully rigged replica pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla II.

With cannons firing and guns blazing, the Jose Gasparilla II pirate ship will mark its 69th anniversary sailing into Tampa Bay with its Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla swashbucklers crowded onto the ship's bow and deck and hanging precariously for the rigging and yardarm.

The pirate invasion will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tampa Convention Center to be followed by the parade of pirates along Bayshore Boulevard from 2 to 6 p.m. Click here to see the parade map.

While the Parade of Pirates is a Tampa tradition dating back to 1904, the parade organizers, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, didn’t always have the replica pirate ship at its disposal, said retired U.S. Air Force Col. Donald J. Barnes, a longtime executive officer of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

“We didn’t get our current pirate ship until 1954,” said Barnes, referring to the trademark vessel
anchored at the Tarpon Weigh Station off Bayshore Boulevard.

The use of a ship by Ye Mystic Krewe pirates to capture the city of Tampa began in 1911. “Back then, we would lease a ship that was already in port,” said Barnes. “One year we had to lease a
a vessel that was hauling hogs.”

The krewe obtained its first pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla I, in 1937. Then, in 1954, it commissioned the construction of the world’s only fully-rigged pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla II.

The Gasparilla Fest has grown so large, it's now all hands on deck at the Tampa Police Department to ensure that pirate pranks don't get out of hand.

During news conferences this week, police officials explained that it takes weeks to coordinate the teams of uniformed bicycle, horse, motorcycle, marine, helicopter and patrol units to prepare for the onslaught of boisterous and often bawdy revelers who journey from all over the country to attend the event.

While members of the 130 krewes that participate in the Gasparilla Fest dusted off their tricorn hats and aired out their white puffy shirts and waistcoats, Tampa police officials strategized with 25 other area law enforcement agencies that will be working during Saturday's festivities including the FBI, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard and police departments and sheriff's offices from Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, Polk and Orange counties.

“We talk about things that have happened and things that we can improve,” said interim Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw.

He said, together, the law enforcement agencies have devised a safety plan and conducted training exercises exploring possible scenarios and measuring their responses.

“Things and decisions that we make here impact us in ways that we don’t even know,” he said.

"Gasparilla is one of the more difficult events that we do, because of the large number of people and boats," said Tampa police helicopter pilot Chris Shepherd.

From their perch in the skies, the two Tampa police helicopter teams will use cameras linked to mobile support vehicles on the ground allowing law enforcement to search for any threats that may not be visible from ground level.

"We look for anything that is suspicious, any vehicles that aren't where they're supposed to be, anyone who is trying to get into an area where they don't belong," Shepherd said, adding that the helicopters will operate in two-hour shifts throughout the event, searching for pillagers, plunderers and more nefarious activities that they then relay to law enforcement on the ground.

Likewise, with hundreds of boats expected on the water during the festival, the Coast Guard and police and sheriff's marine units will be on the water to ensure that those who yo, ho, ho with a bottle of rum aren't operating the boat and that drunken swashbucklers don't walk the plank.

On the ground, law enforcement on foot, bikes, motorcycles and horseback and will be monitoring crowds for the usual pickpockets, scallywags and hornswagglers behave themselves.

And, as always, said Bercaw, "If you see something, say something. The Tampa Police Department asks all attendees to remain vigilant during the parade and report any suspicious activity. We will be monitoring the Gasparilla Parade and pirate fest celebration by air, land and sea. But if something doesn't seem right, it's usually not. If there isn't an officer nearby, call the Tampa PD so and officer can meet you and investigate."

Bercaw said, while the goal is to have a good time, the festival isn't a free-for-all, and attendees must follow safety rules.

"There is zero tolerance for underage alcohol consumption and disruptive behavior," he said.

Law enforcement will monitor traffic to alleviate jams and ensure that no one parks on prohibited neighborhood streets along the parade route (click here for road closures), and make sure that spectators stay behind the temporary gates separating the parade participants from the crowds.

During the pirate fest Saturday, wet zones will be established along the parade route and in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. Consuming alcohol on public property outside these wet zones is prohibited and will be monitored by law enforcement. Click here for a map showing the designated wet zones.

What To Know About The Gasparilla Fest And Parade

• No underage alcohol consumption.
• No open alcohol containers or consumption outside of designated wet zones.
• No coolers, kegs or vessels that provide mass distribution of alcohol.
• No glass containers of any type.
• No failure to use available port-o-lets.
• All bags and backpacks are subject to search.
• Tents, umbrellas, styrofoam cups, grills and fencing are prohibited.
• With the exception of service animals, pets are not allowed at the event.
• Bicycles are allowed for transportation to the event, however, within the event street closure, cyclists must walk with their bikes.
• Do not leave bicycles unattended and do not lock them on private or city property.
• Boat docking space in and around downtown Tampa for Gasparilla is extremely limited. Boaters attempting to “come ashore” along the Bayshore Boulevard balustrade or any other property without a permit are strictly prohibited. There is limited docking space available at the Tampa Convention Center or in the marina area along Bayshore between Platt Street and the Davis Island Bridge with permits available through the City of Tampa Parks Department.
• The boat ramp at Ballast Point Park will be closed from 10 a.m. to noon.
• #BeadFreeBay is an anti-littering awareness campaign to remind the public that throwing beads and other litter in the water is prohibited. Beads and other non-biodegradable items are harmful to marine wildlife. The goal of the Bead-Free Bay campaign is to minimize the environmental impact of the city’s traditions and events on waterways.
• There are a number of ADA-accessible parking spots at the Fort Brooke Garage. Please note that, due to high traffic volumes, parking may be limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. A disabled vehicle permit is required.
• There will be a free parade viewing area reserved for disabled spectators at the intersection of Ashley Drive and Whiting Street. To ensure accommodation for as many disabled patrons as possible, the number of guests per disabled patron is limited to three people. There are no seats or bleachers in this reserved area. Click here for a map of accessible parking and parade viewing areas.
• HART is offering free streetcar and bus shuttle service between Ybor City and downtown Tampa. Click here.
• Before you head out, take a photo of your lads and lassies in their pirate garb. This will assist police officers in case they get lost.